Hi there,
I have not done the recordings for at least 10 years. so I bought a sony midi disc and have a play on it. Not the best sound quality but at least it reached the CD quality.
Once I converted to "wav" files you can crtiize as much as you like.

This is going to be John Mar pianofortate, "home made" version-my intention, with my own art cover its rather casual and artistic than formal.

I did 4 songs in the last 4 days...it seems it take at least 5-10 times to do one song that is free of wrong notes....(i do my best). I would like to ask your guys including the professionals...do you guys get right FIRST TIME on the first go or a bit like mine.....take one ..take 2......during the recording??

for the rare moments I get to record (though the post production my friend is in charge of, and after a year of waiting I have yet to get anything in return from him...so now I am saving up for a Edirol r09) anyways, back on topic, a simple waltz like Liszt's in a flat minor (? i think, or was it major???) took about 17 times to get it down, thus saying, it was still not perfect because we recorded on his keyboard, which is much different than mine. (his being weighted keys, and all 88 of them, but the touch was harsh, so some times it was mf and other times it was fff) (mine being 76 keys, semi weighted, but smoother)

so you are not alone Mr. Mar, as in film, music takes multiple takes (english..psssshh) to get it down pat.

Keep going at it. Even if it takes months to record yourself perfectly!

Out of every ten recordings I make, I can expect one to be "perfect", six to go well, two to be significantly flawed, and one to be disasterous. My statistics on stage are slightly better, because I play it safer during live recitals. On stage, I've never given a "perfect" performance or a disasterous one.

there is no perfection. Once must started with no WRONG notes and thas the starts of beginning. Unfortunately, there is no limit to reach perfection under your own judgement. Sometimes, I take things a little lighter or put less stress on myself. Thast "good " enough for "my" time of what I have acheived. its like saying you can not paint the same painting or drawing twice. I do the same on repeated playing.....when recording. where YOU think is right/perfect to you thats where to stop.

the closest i ever come to perfection (never technically...) is when I'm complete lost in the music and I have to keep myself from audibly sighing after recording until the mics are off. I don't like to take more than one or two takes on a piece (at least at one time or in one session). I start to 'think' too much and play more carefully, which causes more mistakes (funny how that works).

thank pal. Thast quite true, when inspirations comes its the best time to do the recording , unfortunately, these "inspirations" comes in the wrong time in the wrong place where the recording set up were not ready......

I have not done the recordings for at least 10 years. so I bought a sony midi disc and have a play on it. Not the best sound quality but at least it reached the CD quality.Once I converted to "wav" files you can crtiize as much as you like.

I have a sony midi disc recorder too. I never came close to CD quality with that part. First I used a pair of dynamic mics directly into the microphone input, but there was terrible much noise and dull sound. Next, I used a pair of condenser mics with a small mixer for providing the necessary phantom power and went into the line in input of the Sony midi disc recorder. Way better, still not very good.

The Edirol part some use here is very handy and easy to use. With the built in microphones the sound is surprisingly well, but by far not CD quality. Still pretty much noise.

Instead midi disc recorder, a much better, also much cheaper way is to take an external sound card with USB connector, like SoundBlaster, with cabability to record with 96kHz / 24 bit, and record directly in a silent notebook. This in addition to a pair condenser mics should be enough for amateur recordings with the claim to get something in the near of CD quality. For burning CDs you need to downsample to 44kHz/16 bit, or for sharing your pieces here you need to downsample to mp3 quality with 128 or 192 kbit.

Regarding how much takes I need: I usually built up the complete recording stuff, and hit the recording button, and start with a bit practising, followed by some takes what might be used for a recording take. I try to forget that the playing is captured. Sometimes it needs 2 or 3 takes, often more. As soon as I think, that I am satisfied with my take, I stop the recorder and save the file. After that, I try another recording take with the knowledge that I am already satisfied, but maybe it gets still a bit better. Sometimes it does, so I use that take. Afterwards, I cut the section with the usable piece out of the large wavefile with CoolEdit, to normalize, adding a bit reverb, and converting to the target format CD / mp3.

thanks Olaf, I am taking down all your inform. The md is mz nhf800 has a slight better stereo fuctions than 700 series eg "surrounding effect or that xxxxxxxxxx. You are right about therecording, ignoring the micro phone and focus on making music...and it reduceds the no of takes...

Ironically, if one aims towards the goal of perfection, only frustration can follow. If, however, your mindset is, "I will do the best that I can do", you will get as close to perfection as possible. (see my slightly crazy, yet effective mantra in the topic "scared.")

Of course, in piano (or anything else in this universe) nothing is perfect.

My perfection is, correctly executing the technical motions (not necessarily note-perfect) and find the beauty "between the notes", by connecting emotionally. Keep in mind, it's all relative! I'm sure one of my "perfect" performances would probably fall in the "significantly flawed" category by Maurizio Pollini's standards. But that's okay, I never judge my worthiness by comparison with other pianists.

Even a master like Horowitz has given embarrassingly bad performances. I once heard this recording of Chopin's b minor Scherzo by Horowitz, I (most pianists) could've played circles around that mess. It was truly an abomination.

the closest i ever come to perfection (never technically...) is when I'm complete lost in the music and I have to keep myself from audibly sighing after recording until the mics are off. I don't like to take more than one or two takes on a piece (at least at one time or in one session). I start to 'think' too much and play more carefully, which causes more mistakes (funny how that works).

Chopin's greatest fear was "stupefaction by overwork"

Overtraining will destroy any pianist. Whether little Susie, Grandma, the Scholar, or Maurizio Pollini, overwork is the greatest threat to one's pianism.

the closest i ever come to perfection (never technically...) is when I'm complete lost in the music and I have to keep myself from audibly sighing after recording until the mics are off. I don't like to take more than one or two takes on a piece (at least at one time or in one session). I start to 'think' too much and play more carefully, which causes more mistakes (funny how that works).

Thanks Pal, yesterday, wthin an hour I did 4 songs with only 1 to 3 takes only. As you said, forget the environment and just focus on the music...and it worked.

At the same time, I did a light practice 2 laps before the recording.

Too many takes will result in loss of "emotional energy in piano expression" therefore, I think its wiser to FOCUS first and explode that "emotional energy" into your playing.......

I have NEVER made a perfect recording. Sometimes I've tried to record a piece (which I think I know) 20 or 30 times and can't do it satisfactorily. I hear something wrong in every recording I make. It may be a note or notes, a pause too long, too much or too little ritardando, too loud in spots, too soft....ad infinitum

Just remember. Professional recordings have usually been edited quite a bit. They can correct one note even in the middle of a fast run. WE don't have that privilege.

I tried to record the December of tchaikovsky's "The Seasons" today.....After 5 unsuccesfull tries I decided that I will do this tomorrow. When I want to record pieces which are longer than 2 minutes I never spend more than 5 tries in a row on them.

thank everyone, now days I take a big break and try to play the songs thoroughly as I can before to do any reasonable recordings. This wise, i reduce my time spend on the minidisc. and yes....average around no more than several takes. more practice and give you a better take therefore less time on the minidsic.

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